


Oh Brother

by Rylie_is_a_boss



Category: Video Blogging RPF
Genre: AU where Jack and Anti are twins, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - College/University, College Roommates AU, M/M, Roommates, So are Dark and Mark
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-12-26
Updated: 2018-02-20
Packaged: 2019-02-21 23:01:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 4,733
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13153848
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rylie_is_a_boss/pseuds/Rylie_is_a_boss
Summary: AU where Dark and Mark are twins, Anti and Jack are twins, and Jack and Mark are roommates in college.As soon as the semester ends, Dark plans on staying with Mark and Jack for a week or so. When Anti decides to do the same thing at the same time, chaos ensues. Let's just say Jack and Mark are gonna need a lot of ibuprofen to get through this week.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [aqxas](https://archiveofourown.org/users/aqxas/gifts).



> This is my first RPF, I hope you guys enjoy! This title might not be the permanent title, but it'll work for now.

“Jack, I'm home!” Mark shouted into his shared apartment, kicking the door shut behind him. He held several grocery bags in his arms, each one just barely balancing precariously and threatening to fall. He heard a shout from the other room, shortly followed by his roommate sliding into the living area.

“Heya Mark, how was your- Oh for god’s sake!” Jack exclaimed with an exasperated roll of his eyes. At that exact moment, a bag fell out of Mark’s arms and Jack deftly leaned forward to catch it just in time. Mark grinned sheepishly at Jack.

“Why do you never fucking call me to help with the groceries?” Jack shook his head fondly and smiled just slightly as he took more bags out of Mark’s arms.

“It's a matter of pride, Jackaboy,” Mark stated dramatically, “My fragile ego couldn't handle it if I needed to ask for help!”

“You're such a dork,” Jack laughed out. They took the groceries into the kitchen and put what they wouldn't use for dinner away. They chatted idly while they got out the cookware they would need to cook that night.  
With both of them being full time students, often Jack and Mark didn't get a whole lot of time to hang out. But they always made it a point to cook and eat together at least every other day. They had been roommates since the first day of their freshman year of college, having been assigned as each other's roommates at random. Both had heard countless horror stories about how bad college roommates could be and both were, needless to say, a little apprehensive about sharing a dorm space with a stranger. Lucky for them, however, they clicked almost instantly and were best friends within a week. 

When their freshman year was almost over, they decided to live together for the remainder of their time at university. Sharing a meal had been a standing tradition since their second day in the dorms and they carried that over when they moved into an apartment together.

“So, how'd your final go today?” Mark asked casually as he put some water to boil. He had watched Jack study for his Accounting final for about a month and knew his friend had nailed it, even if he didn't believe it himself.

“Eh, I think it went alright. I didn't fail it but I don't think I aced it either,” Jack answered, shrugging and reaching for a knife to chop some vegetables, “how about you?”

Mark cringed. Fluid Dynamics was his worst class and, coincidentally, that was the final he had today. He honestly had no idea if he even passed his final or not.

“Dude if I had crashed any harder, I'd have to change my name to Bandicoot,” Mark answered with a grin, hoping to every deity he could think of that he was wrong, “Or Billy.”

“Watch it there, or I just might have to stab you. SCREW YOU, BILLY!” Jack yelled, brandishing the knife he was using to chop vegetables at Mark. Mark laughed and put his hands up in defense.

"So," Mark started, "now that we're done with finals, I guess we can relax for a bit."

"Speak for yourself. I'm gonna do ALL the things!" Jack shouted, throwing a tomato in the air. Mark braced for the inevitable tomato mess.

"Easy there Undyne. What did that tomato ever do to you?"

"It murdered my family," Jack deadpanned as he violently cut the tomato, "and now I'm getting my revenge!"

Mark rolled his eyes affectionately before he spoke next. "Speaking of, is it still okay if my brother spends a week with us? Apparently he's 'having problems'."

"Mark it doesn't take a rocket surgeon to deduce that. But yeah that's totally fine." In all honesty Jack still wasn't over how similar he and Mark were, even down to the fact that they both had identical twin brothers that were Edgy™. But for all his teasing, Jack enjoyed Dark's company, even if he was a little odd.

Just as they finished up cleaning after dinner, Jack's phone went off. Upon hearing the first four notes of Black Parade, Jack sighed good naturedly and excused himself to his and Mark's shared room. Mark chuckled and quietly flipped through the TV channels, finally allowing himself to relax. He really liked Anti despite him being less than stable. _But then again,_ Mark mused, _his brand of crazy is always refreshing._

____

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A considerable amount of time passed before Jack slumped onto the couch next to Mark, face in his hands.  
"How mad would you be if Anti came to stay with us too next week?" Exhaustion colored Jack's voice, and from that alone Mark could infer exactly what type of conversation just occurred.

__

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"Not at all, that's fine," Mark left the _'I know how unstable Anti can be'_ unspoken, "I'm not sure where he's gonna sleep though."

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Being as they only had one bedroom that they shared, they typically had guests sleep on the couch, which pulled out into a bed. But they both knew Dark and Anti wouldn't be super open to sharing a couch bed with a stranger.

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“We could get an air mattress,” Jack suggested lightheartedly, finally cracking a tiny smile.

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“We'll figure it out,” Mark declared absently before lifting his arm in invitation. He could see how much that conversation had taken out of Jack and wanted to make him feel better.

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Jack took the invitation immediately, leaning into Mark’s chest and curling inward toward Mark. Mark's arm settled around Jack’s shoulders, pulling him closer. They watched something mindless on the TV and enjoyed the calm in their home.

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Some time in their freshman year, Jack and Mark discovered they were both very tactile people. Upon realizing this, they decided to help themselves and each other by cuddling whenever they were stressed, nervous, or just felt like it. Their floor mates liked to tease them about it while they were in the dorms, but they couldn't care less. They were both comfortable with it, so nothing else really mattered to them. And like so many times before, they dozed off like that.

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Some time later, they briefly woke up when an idea struck Jack.

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“Why don't you and I take the couch?” He muttered sleepily, just barely conscious, “it's not like we can't share.”

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It took Mark, who was still half asleep, a moment to figure out what the other man was talking about. When he did, he nodded haphazardly, a drowsy “yeah okay” falling from his lips before promptly falling asleep once more. Jack rolled his eyes affectionately before snuggling further into Mark and doing the same.

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	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I guess by "soon" I meant "a month from now". Whoops! ^_^ Anyway, hope you guys enjoy!

For the next week, Jack and Mark tossed ideas back and forth of what they could take their brothers to do. Living in a mid-size college town in the Midwest had its perks, like plenty of coffee shops and 24-hour restaurants. Unfortunately, having lots of typical “tourist” things to do was not one of those perks.

“Well, we have a pretty nice water park nearby,” Mark suggested. It was getting warm enough that swimming was always an option.

“That's true. Plus there's a theme park about an hour and a half away,” Jack mused. He loved theme parks and knew that both Anti and Mark did too, but he wasn't sure if that would really be Dark's thing.

“There's an idea! Dark and I haven't been to a theme park together since we were kids,” Mark grinned, “We'll definitely have to keep that in mind.”

“This is definitely going to be more of a 'winging it' type of week, isn't it?” Jack asked after a moment, already knowing the answer. He didn't know why Dark was coming, but given Anti's reason for staying with them, Jack knew they would have to play the next week by ear.

“Probably,” Mark paused, knowing how temperamental his brother could be, “but I'm sure it'll be fun no matter what!”

~

When the day that their brothers would be arriving came, Jack and Mark didn't honestly know what to expect. Dark had opted to take a plane to the nearest airport, so they knew exactly when he would get there. Anti, however, was more unpredictable. He traveled on the road frequently, and was in fact going to drive to them, so there was no telling when he would arrive. Suffice to say, hearing a knock on their door at 6:30 am was a little startling.

Jack stumbled to the door to answer it clad in boxers and what he was pretty sure was Mark's hoodie, thrown haphazardly on his body. Jack scowled, ready to rip a new asshole for whoever woke him up this early, only to stare on in surprise when he saw his brother standing on the other side of the door, bright eyed and looking ready to start the day.

“Anti! Wa'n't expectin' you f'r a few hours,” Jack exclaimed, accent heavy. The Irishman was still in the process of waking up.

“Well that's what you get for expecting, isn't it?” Anti grinned maniacally at his brother, raising an eyebrow at his choice in attire, “Is that Mark's shirt?”

Jack looked down at his hoodie to confirm that it was indeed not his, and shrugged. It was too early for this. He stepped aside to allow his brother to step into their living room. Anti skipped through the doorway and plopped down onto their couch, as if he had always lived there. Jack smiled and rolled his eyes good naturedly. It was good to know he didn't have to tell Anti to make himself at home.

“Guess I'll go wake up Mark, and then make some coffee. Have you eaten?” Jack asked, although he could guess the answer given how often Anti forgot about his own basic human needs. When Anti shook his head no, Jack made a mental note to add breakfast to the list of things to do in the next 20 minutes. He heard a groan from the hallway and turned to see Mark stretching, clad in sweatpants and a t-shirt that was currently bunched up just above the navel. Well at least Jack wouldn't have to wake Mark up.

“Hey Anti, long time no see,” Mark greeted, voice still rough from sleep.

“Hey, nice abs,” Anti quirked an eyebrow at the man in the hallway, smirking and hoping to get a reaction out of Mark.

“Thanks, I made them myself,” Mark grinned, pulling his shirt down. He had been around Anti enough to know his favorite thing was to try to fluster people, and was not about to give him the satisfaction. Anti snorted.

“You're such a dork,” he muttered affectionately before moving to the kitchen to help Jack make some coffee. _This is going to be fun._

_~_

"Holy shit! You didn't tell me there were two of them!" Anti exclaimed. After they had a simple breakfast they had talked idly for a few hours. Soon enough, the time came for Mark to go pick up Dark at the airport, leaving Jack and Anti to just hang around until Mark returned with his brother.

“Well hello to you too,” Mark rolled his eyes as he shut the door behind himself.

  
"Anti, I told you Mark was going to get his brother..." Jack rolled his eyes internally.

"Yeah but you didn't say he was his _twin_ brother! Nice eyeliner," Anti commented, tone somehow both mocking and admiring at the same time. He took in the suit the other man wore and admitted to himself that Mark's brother was _hot._

"Nice hair," Dark shot back, taking in the acid green mess atop the other's head, which matched perfectly with his ripped jeans and vintage band t-shirt, "You must be Jack's brother. My name is Dark."

Anti raised an eyebrow at that. "Your name is Dark?"

"You're one to talk, _Anti_ ," Jack muttered under his breath. It was Dark's turn to raise an eyebrow. _Weird name. I have no room to talk though._ Taking in the other man's appearance further, Dark noticed a rather intriguing scar on Anti's neck. Mark followed his brother's line of vision and gulped, knowing what would come out of his mouth next.

"So, Dark, you wanted to check out the library right? Go set your stuff down in our room and let's go!" Mark interjected before Dark could ask. Dark shrugged and moved to go do exactly that.

“Pfft, nerds,” Anti scoffed. At the mention of a library, however, Anti perked up just the slightest bit. He would never openly admit it, but he loved books of all sorts. He had an image to maintain though, so he pretended to not care. Beside him, Jack rolled his eyes, knowing full well how much Anti loved the library.

“Can we come too? I have a book I need to return anyway,” Jack asked, essentially inviting himself and Anti along for the ride.

“Sure, why not?” Mark answered cheerily, trying to cover up his apprehension. He knew his brother could be very blunt and even downright rude sometimes, and just wanted this week to go well.

“You're all nerds,” Anti groaned, “but libraries have the best coffee shops, so there's at least that.” Jack had to stifle a laugh at how hard his brother was trying to sell his 'hipster who doesn't give a fuck' image.

“Are you coming too?” Dark asked Jack, referring to both brothers. Jack nodded.

“Well then let's go,” Mark declared before stepping out the door, the other three following in tow.

When they got to the car, Mark drove and Dark took the front passenger seat, leaving Jack and Anti to sit in the back. Jack chatted idly with Anti and Mark. Dark was suspiciously silent for a few moments before speaking.

"So what's with your neck?" Dark asked, making eye contact with Anti through the rear view mirror. The whole car went silent.

"It keeps my head attached to my body," Anti deadpanned without missing a beat, eyebrow raised.

"No, I mean, what's with the scar?"

Jack made eye contact with Mark through the side mirror, eyes wide and terrified. A thought passed between them. _Oh shit._ Nobody ever asked him to his face.

Anti blinked, stunned that Dark had the audacity to question it. He was used to strange looks but nobody ever actually asked about his scar. After a beat, he smirked.

"I won it in a poker game," he decreed proudly, looking Dark dead in the eyes through the mirror. For the first time since they had met, Dark quirked his lip up at Anti in a half smile. _I have to admit, he has style._

Jack put his face in his hands to conceal his laughter, both relieved that Anti wasn't offended, and amused at the answer he had given. _I guess that's one way to put it._ The rest of the car ride was comfortably quiet, the radio the only noise between the four.

Once they entered the library, both Dark and Anti stood at the entrance for a moment, mesmerized. This was one of the biggest libraries in their state; the amount of books in their line of sight alone stunned both men. Jack and Mark stood a few feet behind their brothers and shared an amused look.

“That's a lot of books for such a small town,” Anti mused, pulling himself out of his reverie first, “Is everyone here a big nerd or something?”

“Just because you are an uncultured swine, doesn't mean the other people in the world are as well,” Dark quipped, “If you'll excuse me, I'd like to explore for a bit.” Jack and Mark stared at Dark's retreating back for a moment, biting their lips to keep from grinning at the insult. Anti, meanwhile, rolled his eyes.

“Whatever. I'm going to find something cool to look at,” Anti stalked off towards the paranormal section of the library. Jack and Mark went off to do their own respective things as well, content that at least everybody would be entertained for awhile.

After browsing for only a few minutes, Jack found a book that really caught his eye. He checked it out and curled up in a corner of the library and became engrossed. Over an hour later, Anti wandered over in Jack's direction with a book in his hands.

“Look,” Anti demanded. Jack glanced up from his book to the one in Anti's hands. Jack tilted his head in confusion.

“ 'Trick Of The Eyes: How The Paranormal Is A Part Of Our Everyday Lives'?” he read out loud, confused about his brother's choice in literature. Anti rolled his eyes.

“It's not just the book itself. It's the author. I've read every book D.E. Iplier has ever published. I love this guy's work! I didn't realize he released a new book. Will you check it out for me?” Anti pulled the best puppy dog face he could without ruining his 'cool guy' facade.

“Of course, bro! Here's my card,” Jack grinned at his brother as he ran off to the library counter. Really, how could he say no to that? It wasn't long before Anti returned with the book and Jack's library card in hand. He plopped unceremoniously into the chair next to Jack and began passionately rambling about D.E. Iplier's work, with Jack listening intently.

~

“-I'm serious Jack, you would not believe all the research D.E. Iplier put into his books on ghosts!”

Dark froze. He was en route to rejoin Jack and Anti with a sizable stack of books in hand to read. He nearly dropped them in surprise, however, when he approached them and heard the subject they were talking about.

“What's wrong?” Mark asked from behind, causing Dark to jump and nearly fall over. Dark turned around and ushered his brother into a nearby aisle to avoid being seen by their companions. Once they were a safe distance away, Dark took a breath.

“They're talking about Iplier,” Dark whispered frantically, looking around to make sure nobody else was within earshot, “Mark, I worked so hard to make sure Iplier stays separate from me! They cannot find out!” While not the most famous out there, due to his main subject matter being paranormal activity, Dark's publishers suggest he use a pen name to ensure his safety from more, ahem, eccentric fans. D.E. Iplier was the pen name Dark decided to go with. He used his own first two initials, and Iplier was part of a long running joke with his brother.

“I'm sure they won't, Dark. It'll be okay. Now, let's go check out those books, then meet them over there. It's going to be okay,” Mark assured his brother. He knew how important it was to keep his identity anonymous from everyone who didn't strictly need to know. Dark nodded and followed his brother to the front desk.

~

 _Iplier... Where have I heard that name before?_ Jack was wracking his brain trying to remember where else he could have heard. He knew for a fact that he had never read the man's books. Paranormal things were more up Anti's alley. But that damn name was just so familiar! It was going to bug him until he remembered.

“... Hey, are you listening?” Anti accused him. Jack shook himself back to reality.

“Yeah, totally,” Jack assured his brother. Anti scoffed. Jack noticed Dark and Mark headed their way and took the opportunity to redirect his brother's attention by waving at them.

“You guys find some good books?” Jack asked once the brothers were close enough that he wouldn't have to shout.

“A few too many, probably,” Mark quipped good naturedly at Dark, who was only just managing to keep the precarious stack in his arms balanced. Anti jumped out of his chair and held his arms out to take some of the books. Dark allowed him to, raising an eyebrow quizzically.

“Looked like you were having a tough time, nerd,” Anti teased, not convincing anyone in the slightest.

“You do realize there's no need to act as if you don't enjoy literature, right?” Dark inquired slowly, “I personally find that the 'emo' image you're trying to go for is actually enhanced from being well read.”

Jack and Mark both blinked at Dark in shock. That was the second time in one day that Dark had said something most people would take offense to. Before either man could intervene, Anti spoke.

“ 'I never saw anybody take so long to dress, and with such little result',” Anti quipped back. Jack and Mark raised eyebrows, while Dark stared, wide eyed.

“Did... Did you just use Oscar Wilde to insult my attire?” Dark questioned, astonishment coloring his tone. Anti beamed and hummed.

“Wow, you were right. Being well read does enhance my image!” Anti chirped, reveling in the shocked expressions of his companions. Mark cleared his throat.

“Er, if we're all finished, let's go grab something to eat,” Jack suggested, noticing that it was close to dinner time. The other three nodded in agreement, and followed him out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well now everybody's in the same place. Let's see what happens!


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Guess who's back, back again... Enjoy!

Upon leaving the library, the four settled on a nearby Italian restaurant for dinner. Anti was still enthusiastically talking Jack's ear off about Iplier, much to both Jack's and Mark's amusement. Jack was ecstatic to see that his brother was more comfortable talking about what he was passionate about now. _Maybe Dark being here is a good thing. I haven't seen Anti this out of his shell in a long time._

Dark, however, was growing antsy, not that he would ever allow it to show through his nonchalant facade. He knew, logically, that his true identity was safe and that the odds of Anti discovering his secret were slim. That didn't stop him from dwelling on the possibility, though. It would likely not even be that dangerous if just Anti found out. However, if word got out... He shuddered, returning his focus to his companions.

Once they entered the restaurant and ordered their food, the others at the table opted to listen to Anti's passionate rambling. Mark noticed his brother was quieter than usual, so much so that it concerned Mark. He nudged his brother's arm under the table, prompting Dark to look at him. Mark raised his eyebrows.

_Are you okay?_ Mark asked silently.

_Just anxious._ Dark broke eye contact to motion at Anti explaining Iplier's theory on specters animatedly to Jack. Mark sighed quietly through his nose and shot his brother what he hoped was a reassuring smile. He decided that, for his brother's sake, he could shift the others' focus. When a lull in the conversation hit, Mark took his chance.

“So, Anti, besides reading, obviously, what have you been up to?” Mark inquired casually, taking a moment to lightly tease Anti. He had always been curious what exactly Anti did, but every time he asked Jack, all he got was ' _he does a lot of things, it just varies Mark_ ' and an easy smile. Jack did show him some photography work Anti had done, but Mark wasn't sure if that was his profession or a hobby.

“I actually took up some freelance work recently. I've been commissioned to edit photos for a popular art site, and I get to submit some photos of my own,” Anti grinned, proud for once to admit what his line of work was.

“That's fantastic!” Mark congratulated. He hadn't seen very much of Anti's work, just what Jack had shown him, but he had a fond appreciation for it. He could almost feel the emotions Anti must have felt when he took the photo.

“What do you do, Dark?” Anti asked innocently, directing his attention to the other man. Dark himself was fully prepared for this question, having been long used to answering questions about himself.

“I write and edit online news articles,” Dark lied easily, “my work has been more freelance lately as well.” Dark shot a small smile in Anti's direction. Anti blinked, not expecting Dark's response, but soon let a smile of his own spread across his face. It was nice to know someone else who understood how freelance work went. Jack and Mark noticed the silent exchange between their brothers, and looked at each other in confusion. They didn't have time to dwell on it, though, because their food arrived at that moment. The rest of their conversation over dinner was warm and amiable.

~

After they finished dinner, the group retired to the apartment for the night. By this time, it was getting kind of late, and the four decided to get ready to turn in. As Jack and Mark set up the couch to sleep on for the night, Dark opted to take a shower while Anti checked online to see if he had any new projects. He started to organize the new projects he found and quickly lost himself in it.

Anti had just finished organizing his projects by priority when Dark walked into the room they were sharing, clad in only a pair of loose-fitting sweatpants, towel drying his hair. Anti stared, slack-jawed. _Damn it, he's gorgeous!_ He watched a stray drop of water fall from Dark's hair and travel down his well-defined chest, graze his abdomen, and travel lower... Anti quickly turned his attention to his laptop, pretending nothing happened. Dark looked over at his temporary roommate and his eyebrows furrowed.

“Are you well, Anti? Your face is flushed,” Dark pointed out. If he knew Anti was checking him out just now, he gave no indication of it. Anti sprung up out of bed, nearly knocking his laptop to the floor in the process.

“I'm good, I'm just gonna go grab a shower, don't mind me,” Anti practically tripped over his own words in his effort to rush them out. He grabbed a towel and his pajamas and dashed to the bathroom, slamming it shut behind him. He slid to the floor and took a few shuddering breaths.

_What the hell am I doing? Since when am I nervous around anyone?_ Anti briefly considered how the other man had seemed to see right through him. Dark was calculating, intelligent, and perceptive in a way that made Anti want to squirm under the scrutiny at times. And at the same time, he was funny, and he even seemed almost warm on occasion. Unlike Mark, who was easy to read, Anti just couldn't get a read on Dark. And it didn't help that this mysterious man was immensely attractive. Anti put his face in his hands. _This is going to be a long week..._

~

Meanwhile, Dark had pulled his laptop out to see if he had received any updates from his publishers. Not seeing anything new, he sighed and set his laptop aside and left the room to make himself a cup of tea. Passing through the living room to reach the kitchen, Dark took care to step quietly upon noticing Jack sound asleep on the couch-bed. He briefly wondered where Mark was, but upon actually entering the kitchen, he saw his brother standing over the stove, kettle already put on to boil. Mark looked in his brother's direction and smiled.

“It's times like this where I think that 'twin telepathy' bullshit actually has some merit,” Mark quipped lightly, pulling out a second mug for his brother.

“The truth is out there, Mark. Just because you refuse to see it, doesn't mean it ceases to exist,” Dark rolled his eyes good naturedly. At that moment, the tea kettle started whistling. Mark poured himself and his brother a glass. Dark took the mug offered to him gratefully, taking a sip and enjoying the warmth.

“So,” Mark started, “what do you think of Anti?”

“He's bizarre and infuriating at times,” Dark replied, staring intently into his mug of tea. Mark smirked.

“You like him, don't you?”

“To 'like' someone in the way you're implying is a childish and unnecessary emotion, Mark. I wouldn't waste my time with such feelings,” Dark quipped, eyes unmoving from his tea.

“Oh my god, you do!” Mark whisper-yelled enthusiastically before taking a sip of his own tea, a smirk adorning his lips. Dark rolled his eyes.

“Believe what you want,” Dark lamented before taking another sip of tea. A companionable silence ensued and both Fischbach brothers enjoyed the relative quiet of the apartment.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well it didn't take me a month this time. I'm thinking from here it'll be a little more faster. Comments are life guys!

**Author's Note:**

> Go ahead and leave a comment! Let me know how I can improve. Next chapter will be up soon guys!


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